PM Modi remembers famous Bareilly 'jhumka', wishes to double farmers' income by 2022

Pic courtesy: ANI

Bareilly: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday referred to the lilting song 'Jhumka Gira Rey' from Hindi movie 'Mera Saaya' to strike an instant chord with the crowd assembled at Kisan Kalyan Rally here.

The song immortalised by veteran Bollywood actress Sadhana in her feisty dance performance in the 1966 Sunil Dutt starrer was quoted by Modi as he began addressing the gathering here.

"I had never been here in the past. But I have definitely heard 'Jhumka gira rey'," he said, citing amid applause the song, "Jhumka Gira Re, Bareli Ke Bazaar Mein" sung by Asha Bhosle.

PM Modi said he had also heard of 'Bareilly-wala surma' (kohl manufactured in Bareilly).

"I am told it gives the user a new vision," he said amid raptures from the crowd.

The Prime Minister perhaps recalled another Asha Bhosle song "Surma bareilly waala, ankhiyon mein aisa daala", in film Kismat, PTI reported.

The prime minister further said that in his childhood days, the Bareilly manjha used to be in great deamnd for flying kites.

"Whenever a kite used to soar high, it would be a foregone conclusion that it must be flying with the help of Bareilly manjha string," he said amid repeated clapping from the audience.

Known as 'Manjha City', Bareilly has been manufacturing kite-strings for over a century.

PM further said that he dreams of seeing farmers' income getting doubled by 2022 when the country completes 75 years of its independence.

PM Modi also highlighted various initiatives undertaken by his government for their welfare.

Stating that while most of the governments wait for the election year to roll out welfare schemes and incentives for farmers, Modi said it was not the case with his National Democratic Alliance government.

"Farmers look towards governments after God and it is imperative on us to ensure that the farmers are looked after well," the prime minister said.

"I exhort all state governments that they should work on the road map before them and I am sure that my dream and your dream will succeed," he added, as per IANS.

Elaborating on his dream, Modi said by 2022 when India completes 75 years of its independence the income of the farmers would be doubled. He then asked farmers whether his dream would be realised.

PM Modi said it was not a very difficult target.

Citing the example of Madhya Pradesh, a Bharatiya Janata Party-ruled state, he said though it did not figure in the top five states of agriculture, now there was a complete turnaround in the agriculture sector.

The prime minister said he had not come here to criticise any government.

"But I want everyone to be on the same page on the issue of farmer welfare," he said in an apparent dig on the Akhilesh Yadav-led Samajwadi Party government in Uttar Pradesh.

The prime minister also described the service, manufacturing and agriculture sectors as the backbone of the Indian economy.

(With Agency inputs)